Busy day in Syria - US Air Force stealth fighters, bombers and drones, along with Navy Super Hornets and cruise missiles pound the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in East Syria; Israel shoot down a Syrian Su-24 that penetrates its airspace over the Golan Heights; Syrian launch air strikes target at rebels in the northwest Syria and in Damascus suburbs

Washington is strengthen its missile-defense posture in the Pacific in response to Pyongyang’s continual threats to launch ballistic missile attacks against US targets in the region and targets as far away as the US mainland.

The U.S. Air Force announced the F-22 Raptor has resumed normal flight operations after modifications to aircrew life-support equipment were completed across the fleet. F-22 crews have also resumed their aerospace control alert mission in Alaska after the Automatic Back-up Oxygen System was installed in their aircraft.

Late in 2012, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta revealed in public comments that the United States intended to send the first overseas contingent of F-35B Lightning IIs to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) at Iwakuni, Japan located in Yamaguchi Prefecture on the southeastern coast of the archipelago’s main island of Honshu.

Hypoxia (oxygen depravation) conditions often affecting pilots during and after flying in F-22s remain unsolved even after comprehensive investigation launched after the 2011 loss of an Alaska based pilot. While the F-22 returned to operational flying, at least 11 new cases were reported since the Raptors resumed their flights, CBS 60 Minutes reported.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally notified the United States Congress on 30 April of a potential Foreign Military Sale of Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) to Japan. The sale includes an initial order for four F-35A Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL) stealth fighters with an option for the purchase of an additional 38 F-35A CTOL aircraft. The cost of the purchase is estimated to be $10 billion.

Unlike the US requirements for all-aspect stealth for its future combat aircraft, other countries have other requirements and may opt for different stealth fighters mean different technological approaches for their future fighter planes. The article examines what India could be looking for in its future stealth planes.

Japan Self Defense Air Force future replacement of F-4J fighters (F-X) is becoming a head-to-head competition between the two American aerospace giants, Boeing and Lockheed martin, offering the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and an advanced variant F/A-18 Super Hornet. Tokyo is expected to make a decision next month. Besides the two fighters’ operational capabilities Japan is likely to give high marks for involvement of domestic companies.

The U.S. Air Force plans to resume flight operations of its 170 F-22A Raptor fleet after four months stand down following safety concerns associated with the aircraft life support system. The entire Raptor fleet will undergo an extensive inspection of the life support systems before returning to flight, with follow-on daily inspections.

While the three U.S. aerospace majors reiterated their forecasts for 2011, the recent quarterly reports highlight the intensive activities ensuring their financial stability, to cross the troubled water expected in the coming months.